UK CNC machine tool company has developed close associations with autosport suppliers and teams in aiding them to making manufacturing lead times as short as possible

Yamazaki Mazak UK, the world's largest manufacturer of Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) metalcutting machine tools, has developed extremely strong links with the autosport engineering industry. This reflects its long-standing status as official supplier of CNC lathes and machining centres to Formula One's Team McLaren Mercedes and its support for the numerous sub-suppliers to the many facets of the autosport sector.

The machine tools available from Yamazaki Mazak are at the pinnacle of manufacturing technology and, irrespective of component type or company size, the Worcester-based company has a machine to suit most metalcutting applications.

These range from entry level 2-axis Nexus lathes through to multi-function/multi-axis Integrex machines, which will deliver productivity improvements even on the smallest batch sizes.

The extensive autosport related customer base of Yamazaki Mazak UK supplies components to competitors from clubman level to Formula One.

The common denominator with all of these customers is that they are able to rely, not only on the machine tool but also on the technology and engineering support provided by Yamazaki Mazak UK.

Given the demands placed on suppliers to the racing teams, whereby components have to be delivered in short lead times to the highest standards of consistency and quality, the knowledge that the world's largest manufacturer of machine tools is supporting those efforts makes the machine tool purchasing decision a much easier one.

The engineering support provided by Yamazaki Mazak is the key to reducing lead times for all of its customers, irrespective of industry sector.

However, in developing its Done in One strategy Mazak is eliminating much of the expense of set-up, work in progress and the number of machine tools required.

UK supplier of Doosan CNC machine tools has revamped its Web site to update information on pre- and after-sales services including turnkey solutions, finance, wear and replacement parts, etc

Leamington, UK-based market-leading machine tool specialist, Mills Manufacturing Technology, has relaunched its Web site. The Web site is generating significant business opportunities for Mills. In six weeks, after the site went live, some 20,000 'hits' have been recorded to date. Mills said that over 300 visitors have already signed up as registered users of the e-commerce facility available on the site.

Many companies struggle to fully integrate Web-based marketing into their business and sales operations.

They find it difficult to exploit the Web's huge potential for reaching and communicating directly with customers and prospects.

This situation has been avoided owing to the strategic approach adopted by Mills.

Mike Jenkins, managing director at Mills, said: 'Companies spend significant resources on their website - but often after an initial burst of activity surrounding their launch they can often be put on the back-burner and as a consequence become out-of-date and under-used.' He added: 'Our approach has been different.

In addition to providing visitors to our site with the very latest information on our range of Doosan machines and all the pre and after-sales services available from Mills (i e, turnkey solutions, machine tool finance, wear and replacement parts, machine tool repair, maintenance and servicing, training, etc) - we have also integrated a sophisticated ecommerce facility on the site that enables users (log-on and password protected) to order spare and wear parts, take out extended warranties and maintenance contracts or book training courses - on-line.' This integrated approach is paying dividends and is certainly a further boost for Mills' non-machine tool sales side of the business - which last year (2006) reported sales in excess of GBP 4m.

Mills is also ensuring that traffic to its website and access to its on-line services is optimised too.

Continued Jenkins: 'We can't afford to let our website become a passive marketing tool.

That's why we regularly communicate with our customers and prospects - via email and post - to drive and encourage them to visit the site.

Once they've accessed the site we know they will find a great deal that is of interest and that they will also become regular visitors to the site too.'

Open house at XYZ Machine Tools - supplier of CNC lathes, milling and grinding machines - took orders worth over GBP 600,000, including orders for large capacity CNC lathes

XYZ Machine Tools' May open house at its Burlescombe, Devon, UK factory resulted in orders valued at more than EUR 600,000. This figure was boosted by the sale of two 'extra large' capacity XL CNC lathes. 'Our best-ever event of this type and an excellent result in what is already a very successful year,' is how Nigel Atherton, managing director, summed up this record-breaking result.

He added that he is confident of selling many more of this new range of CNC lathes, especially with the unveiling later this year of a 410mm bore 'oil country' version.

Visitors from 41 end-user companies attended the two-day event, which provided an ideal opportunity to check out the complete spectrum of machine tools available from XYZ.

And some visitors benefited directly from the decision to upgrade the main showroom, as several of the 21 demonstration machines were sold at below list price to make room for the refurbishment to be completed.

Although best known for its best-selling ProtoTRAK-equipped manual/CNC turret/bed mills and lathes, XYZ has steadily expanded its product portfolio, recently adding a high-speed vertical machining centre to its VMC range.

There are also three models of CNC bridge mill and five models of 'extra large' capacity CNC lathe.

It is the addition of these larger machines to the product portfolio - XL lathes can be supplied with a 1500mm swing and a distance between centres of up to 10m and BRM bridge mills with an X axis travel up to 3810mm - that has prompted the upgrading of the showroom facilities situated within XYZ's 60,000ft2 headquarters and administration centre.